Ukrainian composer, music teacher, pianist of Polish origin.
Biographical information
Mykhailo Zavadskyi was born on August 7, 1828, in the village of Mykhalkivtsi (now Yarmolynets district, Khmelnytskyi region).
In 1862-1863 he studied at St. Volodymyr's University in Kyiv.
He worked as a singing teacher in Kyiv and Kamianets-Podilskyi.
He died on March 17, 1887 in his native village at the age of 59.
His works
The cover of Mykhailo Zavadskyi's collection of Ukrainian noises
Mykhailo Zavadskyi is the author of more than 500 works, mostly related to Ukrainian themes. A significant place was occupied by melodies for ham. Among his works:
unfinished opera "Maria. A Ukrainian Story" based on a story by the Polish poet Antoni Malczewski,
for piano:
12 thoughts,
42 noises,
45 chabarashkas,
4 Zaporizhzhia marches,
two rhapsodies,
"Ukrainian spinning wheel",
"Memories of Kyiv",
"Ukrainian Elf Dances.
He wrote songs (in particular, "Burlatska" and "Zaporozhets").
Some of Zavadsky's piano works (in particular, Thoughts and Noises) were published in 1911 in Kyiv.
As stated in the Essays on the History of Ukrainian Music, Zavadsky's works "were undoubtedly important, they aroused interest in Ukrainian folk songs, a desire to study them more deeply, and occupied a large place in the home musical life in the second half of the nineteenth century and even in the early twentieth century."
The popularity of Zavadsky's works is evidenced by the following fact. When Lesya Ukrainka was being treated in Yalta in 1897-1898, she gave Kateryna Derizhanova (the wife of Lesya's personal physician Martyros Semenovych Derizhanov) the notes of Mykhailo Zavadskyi's Twelfth Shumka for Easter 1898.
Art historian Oksana Freit refers to Zavadsky as a representative of the chamber sentimental movement, which was characteristic of the first stage of development of Ukrainian piano music. According to the researcher, "this semi-amateur, rather salon-like repertoire in terms of its imagery initiated the development of programmatic trends in the instrumental genre, marked by straightforwardness, even excessiveness of sentimental content, and direct expression of emotions."
Contemporary performers do not ignore the work of Mykhailo Zavadsky. For example, in 1986, an instrumental ensemble conducted by Yuriy Yatsenko recorded four works by Zavadsky. These were "Kozak," "Ukrainian Shumka," "Chabarashka No. 12," and "Chabarashka No. 15." All of these pieces were arranged by the director of the ensemble.
Honoring the memory
Khmelnytsky Street was named in honor of the composer. A street in Kropyvnytskyi was named in honor of Mykhailo Zavadskyi.
